Gary Sánchez

Yankees phenom makes the Rays pay for trying to intentionally walk him

Published Nov. 15, 2016 2:57 p.m. ET

Lindsey Foltin

The Tampa Bay Rays tried to intentionally walk Gary Sanchez on Saturday, and they learned the hard way that the young Yankees phenom can hit pretty much anything.

Down 3-1 in the eighth with men on second and third, the Rays opted not to pitch to Sanchez, and reliever Enny Romero began lobbing balls over the plate for the intentional walk.

Unfortunately for Romero, the 23-year-old Sanchez was every bit ready to hit those pitches, even though it was clear the Rays intended to give him a free pass.

#StartSpreadingTheNews @Yankees don't quit. NYC, you with us?
— Gary Sanchez (@ElGarySanchez) September 10, 2016

So in typical Gary Sanchez fashion, he swung at the lob over the plate — and hit it deep to center field. While the ball was caught on the warning track, it was just a few feet shy of a homer ... and enough to drive in a run on a sac fly.

Let this be a lesson to the Yankees' opposing pitchers: Gary Sanchez can hit just about anything — and he will, if you let him.